Welsh rarebit pie recipe

Ah, spring in Wales. The daffodils bloom, the seagulls plot, and somewhere in Barry, a noble soul is assembling the holy trinity of seasonal indulgence: Welsh rarebit pie, garden salad, and mint-infused water. A meal so virtuous it practically absolves you of winter’s sins, assuming you don’t count the half-pint of brown ale baked into the tart.

Inspired by the delightful recipe from FoodNerd4Life, this isn’t your average cheese-on-toast affair. No, this is Welsh rarebit elevated, an open-faced homage to dairy, mustard, and the kind of ale that makes you feel like you’ve earned it, even if your only exertion was opening the bottle.

Welsh Rarebit Tart Recipe

A posh cheese toastie in tart form. No apologies.

Ingredients

For the pastry (or cheat and buy ready-made shortcrust—we won’t tell):

250g plain flour

125g unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

2–3 tbsp cold water

For the filling:

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1 medium leek, finely sliced (the national veg, no less)

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

150ml brown ale (or dark beer—get something robust and Welsh if you’re feeling patriotic)

175g extra mature Cheddar cheese, grated

2 eggs

100ml double cream

Salt and black pepper to taste

For the topping (optional but lush):

2 tbsp Panko breadcrumbs

½ tsp dried thyme

Extra cheese for good measure (obviously)

Method

1. Make the pastry (or defrost it sneakily):

In a food processor, pulse the flour, salt and butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and enough cold water to bring it all together. Form a disc, wrap in cling film, and chill for 30 minutes like it’s a spa day.

2. Blind bake that base:

Roll out the chilled dough and line a 23cm tart tin. Prick it with a fork, line with baking paper and fill with baking beans or that stash of dry rice you've never actually cooked. Bake at 180°C (fan) for 15 minutes, remove weights and paper, then bake for another 10 until golden. Let it cool slightly.

3. Prep your filling:

In a frying pan, melt the butter and gently soften the sliced leek for 5–7 minutes until sweet and floppy. Set aside.

4. Make the rarebit mixture:

In a saucepan, warm the ale gently. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cheese until gloriously melted. Remove from heat, then whisk in eggs and cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir through the leeks.

5. Assemble and bake:

Pour the mixture into the baked tart shell. Sprinkle with Panko, thyme, and a little more cheese (because of course). Bake at 180°C (fan) for 25–30 minutes, or until the top is puffed, golden, and smells like you should probably open a bottle of ale.

6. Cool and serve:

Let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing, gives you just enough time to wrangle a salad together and dramatically garnish some mint water.

Serving Suggestions

Pair this decadent tart with a fresh garden salad, think crisp lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and a vinaigrette that’s just acidic enough to cut through the richness. Accompany with a jug of mint-infused water, because hydration is important, and mint makes it feel fancy.